This Is Country Music

Prime Cuts: Remind Me (with Carrie Underwood), Love Her Like She's Leaving (with Don Henley), Toothbrush

Over the years, many have attempted to give definition to country music. But no one has had the audacity to name their record "This is Country Music." Not until Brad Paisley. With such an overarching and dauntless title, Paisley has a lot to live up to. And over the course of these 15 tracks he rarely disappoints. If country music is defined as songs that deal with the issues of life, then these songs past muster. Just like his previous albums, Paisley rarely disappoints. On one hand, he continues to wax eloquence about his romantic felicity with great attention paid to details. Yet, on the other hand, he has the ability to keep things light and engaging with his wily take on some of life's keening observations. Watch especially for the ways of how Paisley can take a cliché, a thought, a cultural trend or an urban myth and turn them around into a song of fun and even of acute inspiration. And just like his previous 9 albums, producer Frank Rogers is again on the helm keeping the production lean and lanky, yet bringing out the consummate guitarist in Paisley is supernal ways.

One reason why Paisley excels as a songwriter is that he doesn't resign himself to singing the vanilla "I love you and I need you" songs. Rather, when he describes about the need to keep his connubial bliss alive, he does it by giving us so many practical ways in the power duet with Carrie Underwood "Remind Me." Expanding his scope of duet partners to Don Henley, on "Love Her Like She's Living" Paisley sits on the Dr. Love seat in diagnosing how to make love last. While on the Western swing-styled "Toothbrush" Paisley chronicles the development of a love affair with so much imagination and creativity. Calling to mind Paisley's "Little Things," "New Favorite Memory" is gorgeously romantic as Paisley gets into specifics why he likes his paramour. These are the details that will save floundering relationships. Adorned with some really appetizing fiddles and some sapid steel guitars, the regretful "I Do Now" is indeed a slice of traditional country done with modern sensibilities.

Though Paisley has often been noted for the humor in his music, but often they are jocular because they are social burlesques. "Working on a Tan," for instance, is a satire of how people have become so obsessed with their bodies that they would go to the extremes to look "tanned." With the call and response chorus and some delightful piano riffs, "Camouflage" deals with the issue of self image amidst its party sonic backings. On the spiritual invigorating "A Man Don't Have to Die," Paisley puts his finger on our society's problem: how our souls erode without Jesus. This is soul piercing stuff done in a way that is engaging without sounding judgmental. And on certain tracks, Paisley just lets loose. Though it has some really cheesy pick up lines (such as "I love to be the book on your chest"), Paisley could get away with it on "Be the Lake" as it is such an infectious hook that he'll have no trouble getting his fish. Being a traditionalist, on "Eastwood" Paisley even convinces Clint Eastwood to do a whistle of a Morricone melody on a spaghetti Western instrumental.

There are a couple of odes to country music per sec. Not the most original in its concept, the title cut and lead single "This is Country Music" is stacked with many other songs that tries to give definition to the genre. It's not bad just not one of Paisley's best. The same can be said of "Old Alabama" which is a tribute of sorts to the country group Alabama. Other than these quibbles, "This is Country Music" is dogmatically as good and as bold as the title suggests. Another solid effort from this neo-traditionalist.

I don't care for the new country music in general. It reminds me more of pop music from by-gone decades.
Brad Paisley is different. His music sounds a lot more like traditional country. He reminds me of a few country icons from the past that play guitar as well as they sing, something along the lines of Merle Haggard or Marty Stuart(who contributed on the last track).

The title track leads off an exceptionally strong cd. The song lyrics are something a lot of country fans can identify with personally. It winds down with Paisley listing some great song titles from country's past such as "I Walk The Line" and "Stand By Your Man" and more.
The guitar licks are well-played and flawless. This song is my favorite of many from Brad Paisley.

"Old Alabama" serves not only as a tribute to the band but also includes them performing. A very nice touch and a great song!

Another song that made an immediate impression was "Life's Railway To Heaven". It's a bluegrass song and I'm really happy that Paisley included a song from that category!

As always, he includes some "tongue-in-cheek" part humor,part love ballad tunes as only Brad Paisley can tastefully put them together."Toothbrush" and "Be The Lake" seem to fit the bill on this cd.

A gem on this cd that might get overlooked among the other songs that get a lot of airtime on country radio is "A Man Don't Have To Die." The gripping lyrics about everyday life for so many in these trying economic times make a sad point that Paisley didn't overlook.
"See a man don't have to die to go to hell.No you don't have to die to go to hell."

This cd is typical Brad Paisley featuring his versatile guitar skill on a Telecaster and his voice. I have come to expect those two qualities in his music and he never seems to disappoint those of us that really appreciate the traditional sounding country. This is my favorite Brad Paisley cd to date.
His lyrics are witty,sometimes funny, and always as entertaining as his guitar pickin'.
This cd is as versatile musically as the rest of his releases.
If you buy a cd from this year, it definitely should be this one!!!

Without a doubt, Brad Paisley IS the voice of country music in this decade. Every song on this album is phenomenal, and exemplifies the very core of the genre. I would be hard pressed to say that there is a single bad track in the bunch, indeed there are MANY single worthy numbers here. Camouflage, Remind Me, Love Her Like She's Leavin' and New Favorite Memory could easily be top 10 performers. This is country music at its finest.

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